WWF: Hulkamania era (1984-`1992)

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

JYD putting over Andre The Giant in JYD’s last WWF match is one of those matches I always think I Mandela Effected. Andre didn’t even go over cleanly. And the match was in France!

In a weird sense, I feel the wrestling industry had more respect for JYD than he had for himself. I think only recently, I think Jeff Hardy has surpassed him for wrestler who had gotten the most second chances.

 

[Valeyard]

I think if he doesn't go to the WWF he is better off. Deteriorates slower, or at least has it booked around better. Wind up in the AWA and probably be a pretty good star for them for a while.

It's always kind of trippy to me how he went from looking like a total star to bloated coke dad in just a couple years.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

AWA is low key one of the more racist territories though (besides WWF). This is the territory that had the black guy lose a loser gets painted match!

 

[Valeyard]

Oh he'd never touch the title and probably get a handful of actual singles main events (with a variety of bullshit finishes) but he'd be extremely popular and in the WWF by 1989 at the latest. I think the only person who could get a good match out of him would be old-ass Bock, and I have no reason to think this beyond my love for Bock.

Mid South dies anyway so he'd wind up in the NWA no matter what, however man he'd have been fun in World Class. Probably would've died much sooner but he'd be the perfect partner for the Von Erichs against literally anyone and would make much more money at least in the short term.

 

[AA484]

I can't even think of any big name black wrestlers who worked AWA. I guess that's to be expected from a promotion headquartered in the snowy hinterlands of the upper Midwest, but considering they ran Chicago on the reg, it seems like they'd have at least one name black wrestler.

 

[Valeyard]

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I can't even think of any big name black wrestlers who worked AWA. I guess that's to be expected from a promotion headquartered in the snowy hinterlands of the upper Midwest, but considering they ran Chicago on the reg, it seems like they'd have at least one name black wrestler.

Tony Atlas had a run as did the aforementioned Derek Dukes. Ernie Ladd also made a few AWA appearances but it’s a short list. Even racist (W)WWF probably had more African American representation

 

[Valeyard]

80s WWF had pretty much only (by virtue of the title run) Atlas and Johnson pushed as credible early on and then Bad News at the end of the decade. Zeus counts, I guess, but with the asterisk of not even being a wrestler and exclusively used to be fed to Hogan and never being anything more or less. JYD and Koko, they had very specific ceilings whether deserved or not in the WWF's eyes. Until Ahmed (whose push was ending when Rock's began) it was embarrassingly dire.

It's funny. The WWF did a steadily great job, even to this day, of pushing different less-black races, but still managed to go the most offensive route a lot of times.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

80s WWF had pretty much only (by virtue of the title run) Atlas and Johnson pushed as credible early on and then Bad News at the end of the decade. Zeus counts, I guess, but with the asterisk of not even being a wrestler and exclusively used to be fed to Hogan and never being anything more or less. JYD and Koko, they had very specific ceilings whether deserved or not in the WWF's eyes. Until Ahmed (whose push was ending when Rock's began) it was embarrassingly dire.

Ahem.

Don’t forget my namesake although his run in WWF might be an argument more for their racist attitudes than against.


Also pretty sure Kamala had to have shown up in AWA at some point in the mid ‘80s before the bottom fell out.

 

[Valeyard]

True, I guess. Kamala wasn't around very long was he? He had the Hogan run and nothing else, but I don't remember how actually long that was. Being fed to Hogan is just different to me, I guess, because there was literally nothing else for Kamala after that. I loved him and Sika as a monster team but that was just busywork until they both left, if I recall.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

He had three different runs. ‘84, ‘86-‘87, and ‘92-‘93. First one was a traditional four month territory run, second and third were both a little bit over a year (August ‘86 to September ‘87 and May ‘92 to July ‘93). A little bit more than a cup of coffee but not by much. A cup and a half of coffee?

 

[Fall of Epic]

Kamala was in the first ever casket match in WWE (then billed a a coffin match). They kind of forgot that during the Taker/Yoko feud.

 

[Valeyard]

He's one of the guys who had two runs with Hogan, right? Like the money run before Wrestlemania and the big money run after where they pretended the previous one never happened.

It's sorta interesting how there was that period around the early Hulkamania days where people could jump in and still be over from working other places despite it not being as far-reaching. I don't think that ever really happened again until like 2009-10 when the internet was fully prevalent (vs then with the mags). Where you could bring people into a new company or area and not need to do much to build them up as they did.

 

[Valeyard]

The coffin match sounded so much cooler than the casket match. There's something pretty badass about having to nail your opponent in a coffin vs shutting the lid.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Kamala sold being locked in that coffin so well that people felt bad for him and they turned him face!

 

[Fall of Epic]

Casket matches are boring when two wrestlers are trying to throw each other into a stationary coffin at ringside. I like when they use it as a weapon and try to stuff them into it anywhere. This is how AEW's coffin matches have this twist and there was a Taker/Big Show one from years ago that tried to be inventive. Taker stuffed Show into a standing coffin on the entrance ramp.

 

[strummer]

I don't think Hogan and Kamala faced each other during Kamala's 84 run. Could be wrong but I have no recollection

 

[snuffbox]

Kamala also worked with Andre during that earlier run. There was a cage match where Andre did a top rope buttdrop that made a Coliseum Video.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Kamala feuded with Andre mostly during that ‘84 run.

 

[Valeyard]

Best casket match is still Fenix/Muertes from Lucha Underground. I don't know if that can be topped for me.

Andre makes more sense, I guess. I think I'm confusing him with Killer Khan, then, because he had the big Andre run and then came back for a Hogan run without having the Andre run acknowledged.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

WWF « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database

Internet Wrestling Database

www.cagematch.net

This looks like it was the only ‘84 Hogan Vs Kamala match.

I want to see that Roddy Piper Vs Samu match though.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Kamala also worked with Andre during that earlier run. There was a cage match where Andre did a top rope buttdrop that made a Coliseum Video.

Like Matt Borne, or like Yokozuna?

 

[snuffbox]

Matt Borne. Start with the bodyslam around 16:00 to see it.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Jesus. God help the poor bastard who takes that move wrong.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Ahem.

Don’t forget my namesake although his run in WWF might be an argument more for their racist attitudes than against.


Also pretty sure Kamala had to have shown up in AWA at some point in the mid ‘80s before the bottom fell out.

He was there in 85 with Billy Robinson of all people as his handler at first. He worked TV and was on Superclash 1 vs Blackwell. He also got a World title match on ESPN vs Martel IIRC

He came back in 86 to work Sarge at Wrestlerock.

 

[Valeyard]

Who was Friday/Kim Chee then?

 

[BruiserBrody]

I can't even think of any big name black wrestlers who worked AWA. I guess that's to be expected from a promotion headquartered in the snowy hinterlands of the upper Midwest, but considering they ran Chicago on the reg, it seems like they'd have at least one name black wrestler.

Rufus R Jones had a run in 1978. He is the outlier though.
Ernie Ladd would come in a few times a year to headline Chicago only (So you can credit Luce/Bruiser)
Bobo Brazil also on shows on and off in the 70s into the very early 80s.
Butch Reed had a stint around the same point as Tony Atlas and lasted just about as long.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Who was Friday/Kim Chee then?

No idea. Likely a local jobber. Here's 2 Robinson/Kamala promos.

Oh and apparently Bob Costas ring announcing for Pro Wrestling USA.....

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1692072859416301648

Beverly Bros vs.... PAT TANAKA???!?! Well the Orient Express and Beverlys did coexist for a minute in early 1992....

What a unexpected place for a late era AWA dream match to take place!

Oh NO! Nevermind....

Prime Time Wrestling – 10/28/91: Greg Valentine, Kerry Von Erich, & Jimmy Snuka defeated Pat Tanaka & the Beverly Brothers (w/ the Genius) when Von Erich pinned Tanaka with the Tornado Punch at 7:18; the Beverlys attacked Tanaka after the match and hit the Beverly Bomb

What a babyface hodge podge

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Prime Time Wrestling – 10/28/91: Greg Valentine, Kerry Von Erich, & Jimmy Snuka defeated Pat Tanaka & the Beverly Brothers (w/ the Genius) when Von Erich pinned Tanaka with the Tornado Punch at 7:18; the Beverlys attacked Tanaka after the match and hit the Beverly Bomb

What a babyface hodge podge

It’s Team This Would’ve Been Way More Exciting in 1983.


1991 was lowkey a super experimental year for WWF. That was also the year that Bobby Heenan and Mr. Fuji feuded.